LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani will be a star among stars next week at the All-Star Game in Philadelphia.
The four-time league MVP led all players in voting during the first round of fan balloting and MLB would undoubtedly love to capitalize on his popularity and showcase his unique skills by having him DH and pitch in the game and participate in the Home Run Derby.
“Don’t see him in the Home Run Derby,” Dodgers (and National League All-Star team) manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday. “Don’t see him pitching. But I do see him taking an at-bat or two.”
The Dodgers would prefer Ohtani get as much of a break as possible next week, given the workload he has taken on this season, returning to a full-time pitching schedule for the first time since a second Tommy John surgery in 2023.
“I would love it,” Roberts acknowledged. “But I do think when you’re Shohei, he understands the responsibility he has. So I do think there’s a middle (ground) for what’s best for him, what potentially could be downside but also what’s best for the game.”
Ohtani has only pitched in the All-Star Game once. He started for the American League in 2021 at Coors Field in Denver. He has only participated in the Home Run Derby once, also in 2021. He lost in the first round to Juan Soto.
Ohtani does remain on track to start on the mound Friday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks despite missing a game last weekend with tightness in his right biceps.
“As he goes through the next couple days, if he doesn’t feel great, we’ll pivot,” Roberts said. “We’re prepared to pivot. But as we sit here, I don’t see that changing.”
Roberts said he has heard “not a word” about Ohtani’s biceps issue since it flared up during his start against the San Diego Padres on Friday. Ohtani left the game as a pitcher after six innings and as DH an inning later. He did not play on Saturday.
But it has not affected his between-starts throwing routine.
“Catch play was normal,” Roberts said. “From the training staff, from Shohei, everything is where it needs to be.”
Returning to a full workload as a pitcher this season, Ohtani has thrown 85⅔ innings in 14 starts so far. But he has also dealt with a blister on his pitching hand and knee pain that forced him to miss a game as well as the more recent biceps issue.
WROBLESKI WAITS
St. Louis Cardinals closer Riley O’Brien, Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Jesús Luzardo and Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Braxton Ashcraft were named to the NL All-Star team on Tuesday as replacements for Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski, Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes and Miami’s Max Meyer, who will not be available to pitch in next week’s game.
And Dodgers left-hander Justin Wrobleski remains on the outside looking in.
“It would be validation for him and for his teammates,” said Roberts, who has endorsed Wrobleski as worthy of an All-Star selection. “A year ago, he was in the minors. And so, to kind of look at himself in the mirror and really be honest and say, ‘How can I get better to be a major-league pitcher?’
“He’s walked the walk which is really impressive for a young player.”
Wrobleski was the third pitcher in MLB to reach 10 wins this season and went into his start Tuesday eighth in the NL with a 2.80 ERA. The seven pitchers ahead of him were all chosen for the All-Star rosters.
“He’s won 10 games for us,” Roberts said. “To be able to get pitching decisions, you’ve got to go deeper in games. … The ERA is stellar and innings per outing – I just think that he’s performed enough to earn that opportunity.”
Wrobleski acknowledged on Saturday when the All-Star pitching staff was announced that it was “upsetting” not to be included and being left out would add “fuel to the fire” for the rest of his season.
Roberts was happy to hear that.
“I hope so,” Roberts said. “Every player has their motivations. And then if you can add something else and still understand that it’s not personal. … But use it as a kind of fire, motivation, I think that’s healthy.”
UP NEXT
Rockies (RHP Ryan Feltner, 3-2, 4.27 ERA) at Dodgers (RHP Roki Sasaki, 3-5, 5.40 ERA), Wednesday, 7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570 AM